The Lifestyle of Poker Professionals

The lifestyle of a poker professional may well look very glamorous from the outside, but it is much harder work than many might believe. Travel, tactics, studying the game and mentally preparing for competition are all things which eat into the time of a typical poker pro.

It is also only the top players who get to live the Hollywood lifestyle of the rich and famous. Many other poker players who play professionally operate at a much lower level, and many retain their old jobs. English poker star Victoria Coren-Mitchell has a second life as a writer and journalist, for example.

Professional poker is like any other professional sport, in that players are constantly looking to improve and sharpen up. This takes work, and analysis is a major part of making sure that a poker professional stays at the top of the game. While playing in tournaments and endorsing gaming websites may look like a lot of glamorous fun, the hard work involved should never be underestimated.